Methodology and sources
Every figure comes from the fund's own PDS, fees and costs guide or website, and records the source URL and the date we checked it. Where we could not verify a figure from the fund's own material, we leave it blank.
Annual cost formula
cost(B) = fixed admin fee + min(admin % × B (up to any balance limit), % cap) + reserve-funded admin costs + (investment fees and costs % + transaction costs %) × B
This follows the "cost of product" approach funds use in their PDS. It includes administration costs met from fund reserves, because funds include them in their own published figures. At $50,000 we check our result against the fund's published cost of product. It excludes insurance, buy/sell spreads, activity and advice fees.
Returns
Option returns as published by each fund, for the period stated. Funds calculate returns differently (generally net of investment fees, costs and taxes but before administration fees), and options hold different asset mixes.
Updates
We re-check fund sources monthly and after the annual PDS updates each July.
Sources
- Hostplus: https://hostplus.com.au/members/our-products-and-services/super/fees-charges
- Rest: https://rest.com.au/super/products/fees-and-costs https://rest.com.au/investments/investment-options/indexed-investment-options
- AustralianSuper: https://www.australiansuper.com/FeesandCostsGuide https://www.australiansuper.com/campaigns/feechange-faq
- Australian Retirement Trust: https://cdne.australianretirementtrust.com.au/media/project/art/publicweb/pdfs/pds/super-savings-guide.pdf
- Aware Super: https://aware.com.au/member/join/compare-super-fees https://aware.com.au/member/what-we-offer/fees-and-costs
- HESTA: https://www.hesta.com.au/members/your-superannuation/fees-and-costs https://www.hesta.com.au/content/dam/hesta/Documents/Fees-and-costs.pdf
- Cbus: https://www.cbussuper.com.au/fees
- Vision Super: https://www.visionsuper.com.au/super/fees-and-costs